1. Getting Started with Gmail
January 2012

2. Opening Gmail Go to www.google.com/a/wilkes.k12.nc.us
Type your username
Type your password
Click Sign-In

3. Logging Out Click the drop down arrow beside your email address
Click Sign Out
You will likely need to reenter the URL ( to sign on again

4. Inbox Buttons Select Button
Refresh – Updates your inbox to show new messages

5. Inbox Buttons
More Button

6. Inbox Buttons
Newer/Older Arrows
Message Counter

7. Inbox Buttons
Split Pane Button

8. Inbox Buttons
Settings Button

9. Message Buttons (Available only when a message is selected)
Archive Button
Delete Button
Report Spam

10. Message Buttons
Move To Button

11. Message Buttons
Labels Button (Similar to folders in Outlook)

12. Message Buttons
More Button

13. Gmail Storage Space
Maximum Storage is 25 GB for mail, tasks, calendars, and document.
Check storage space from the main screen before selecting a message.
You may also go to Settings >Choose Settings >Scroll to the bottom of the screen> Storage Space will be noted in the bottom left corner.

14. Deleted Messages
Once messages have been deleted and emptied from the trash, the technology department will not be able to recover messages.
Go to Settings >Choose Help.

15. Deleted Messages
Choose Gmail Help Center

16. Deleted Messages
Under Learn More >Popular articles >Choose “My messages have gone missing”

17. Deleted Messages
Choose Recovering deleted messages..

18. Deleted Messages Follow the directions to attempt recovery.
If the directions fail to restore your messages, choose Click here to start investigating.

19. Reading mail in Inbox Click on Inbox
Click on a message to view or read.

20. Read and Unread Mail
The number in parentheses indicates how many unread conversations/messages
you have. Bold type indicates unread mail.

21. Opening Attachments Paperclip Icon indicates an attachment
Image attachments may appear as a preview within the message.

22. Opening Attachments View opens a preview
of the attachment on a new tab.
Download allows you to save and open the file to your documents. The downloaded file appears in the lower left corner of the web browser.
Attachments will show beneath the body of the message

23. Reporting Spam
Select a spam message from your inbox. Click the Report Spam buttom.

24. Deleting Spam
Spam will remain in the Spam box for 30 days before being automatically deleted.
To empty Spam, Click the Spam link, select the message to delete, click Delete Forever

25. Deleting Spam
You may also click on your Spam box, and choose Delete all Spam messages now.

26. Mislabeled Spam If you mistakenly mark a message as spam,
click the Spam link.
Select the message.
Click the Not Spam button.
Indecent messages can still be reported to the Technology Department to be blocked globally for all WCS users.

27. Composing a Message Click Compose.
Enter address in the To: field
Click Cc: (Carbon Copy) Or
Bcc: (Blind Carbon Copy) to enter addresses.

28. Composing a Message
Enter Message Text
Enter Subject
Click Send

29. Attaching a file
Choose Attach a file

30. Attaching a file
Browse to the file location and select it.

31. Attaching a file Allow time for the file to upload.
Make sure the checkmark is toggled on for your file attachment.

32. Saving Drafts
Drafts are automatically saved as you compose messages.
You may also click Save Now to save your draft message.
Drafts may be reopened, finished, and sent later from the Drafts box. Scroll to the bottom of the draft to finish the message.
Use the Send button to deliver the completed message.

33. Replying to Messages
Choose the left arrow to reply to a message

34. Reply to All
Click the drop down arrow to the right of the Reply button.
Choose Reply to all

35. Forwarding Messages
Click the drop down arrow to the right of the Reply button.
Choose Forward.

36. Other ways to Reply, Reply to all, and Forward
You may also choose Reply, Reply to all, or Forward from the bottom of the message.

37. Sending to a Distribution List
Click Compose
Click the To: link
Click the drop down arrow to the right of My Contacts
Choose the Group

38. Sending to a Distribution List
Click on a checkmark to deselect a recipient.
Select the All link to choose all recipients in the group

39. Sending to a Distribution List
Recipient names will populate in the To field
Click Done to add recipients to the message

40. Spell Check Use the Check Spelling feature when composing messages.
Right click on any highlighted word to find spelling suggestions.

41. Choosing Contacts Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

42. Choosing Contacts
Click on Directory to access individual users with wilkes.k12.nc.us addresses
Type names in the search box to find wilkes.k12.nc.us users and click the search button.
Use the forward and back arrows to navigate through the user listings.

43. Adding Contacts
Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

44. Adding Contacts
Click New Contact. Enter the contact information in the appropriate fields.
Click Add to add more fields. Changes are automatically saved.

45. Adding Contacts through the Inbox
Choose a message from the recipient in your mailbox. Place the mouse on top of the image icon to the left of the recipient's name.
Choose Add to Contacts

46. Adding Contacts through the Inbox
You can also add contacts by clicking on the arrow beside the reply button.
Choose Add to Contacts list

47. Choosing a Recipient through My Contacts
Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

48. Choosing a Recipient through My Contacts
Choose your recipient in the Contact List by double clicking on the contact or by placing a checkmark next to the contact’s name.
Click on the envelope icon to send an to the recipient.

49. Deleting a Contact Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

50. Deleting a Contact Place a check beside the contact to be deleted.
Click on the drop down arrow next to More
Choose Delete Contacts

51. Creating a Group in My Contacts
Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

52. Creating a Group in My Contacts
Choose New Group
Name the group
Click OK

53. Creating a Group in My Contacts
The new group name will appear
Click My Contacts

54. Creating a Group in My Contacts
Place a check next to each contact to be added to the group.
Click the drop down arrow next to the Groups icon.

55. Creating a Group in My Contacts
Place a check beside the group name
Click Apply

56. Deleting a Group Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

57. Deleting a Group
Select the group name.

58. Deleting a Group Click on the drop down arrow next to More
Choose Delete group

59. Adding a member to an existing group
Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

60. Adding a member to an existing group
Choose the group
Click on the Add Members icon

61. Adding a member to an existing group
Type the contact name in the field

62. Adding a member to an existing group
Click Add

63. Removing a member from an existing group
Click the drop down arrow next to Mail
Choose Contacts

64. Removing a member from an existing group
Click on the group name
Click on the recipient to be removed.

65. Removing a member from an existing group
Click on the drop down arrow beside the group name to be removed
Choose Remove from this group

66. Starring a message Choose the message from your inbox
Click the Star icon next to the message

67. Starring a message
You can also star a message by clicking the drop down arrow beside the More button
Choose Add star

68. Starring a message Starred items can be sorted using the Starred link
Star colors can be set and changed in the Settings menu.

69. Setting an email as important
Choose the message from the inbox. Click the tag icon.

70. Setting an email as important
Click the drop down arrow beside the More button
Choose Mark as important
Messages marked as important can easily be sorted using the Important link.
Google “learns” important messages based on user statistics. Marking messages as important or not important helps Google’s accuracy when automatically classifying your messages.

71. Creating Labels (i.e. folders)
Choose More from the list of mailboxes

72. Creating Labels
Click Create new label

73. Creating Labels Enter the name of your new label Click Create
Add a sub-level folder if desired

74. Creating Labels Labels can also be created by selecting a message.
Select the Move To or Label button

75. Creating Labels
Choose Create new

76. Editing Labels
Click Manage Labels. The manage labels link will not appear until you have created a label.

77. Editing Labels
Click Remove or Edit under Actions to change existing labels.

78. Editing Labels
You may also click the drop down arrow to the right of the label to make changes

79. Editing Labels
A menu of editing options will appear.

80. Editing Labels You can also edit labels by the Move To or Labels Menu
Choose the Manage labels menu for editing options

81. Labeling Messages in the Inbox (i.e. placing messages in folders)
Select the message to be labeled
Select the Label button
Choose the label you would like to choose from the menu. Click Apply.

82. Removing labels from messages
Choose the labeled message
Find the labels tags
Click the X next to each label you wish to remove.

83. Moving Messages
Select the message to be moved or select multiple messages using the checkmark field
Choose the Move To button
Choose the label you would like. Click Apply.

84. Moving messages
The label tag will appear. This will remove the message from your Inbox
Moved messages are archived and can only be seen by opening the label (folder) or by clicking More from the menu on the left and choosing All Mail.

85. Archiving messages in the Inbox
Select the message to be archived or use the check boxes to select multiple messages
Click the Archive button
Click Inbox
Archived messages will no longer appear in the Inbox, but they are not deleted.

86. Archiving messages from labels
Click the label (folder)
Click the More button
Choose Archive
Select the message or messages to be archived.
Messages can only be archived if they are tagged as being in the Inbox.

87. Retrieving archived messages
Archived messages may be retrieved from the All Mail label (folder). You will need to choose More from the left menu to access the All Mail label.

88. Changing the Inbox type
Click the drop down arrow next to Inbox
Choose the view you wish to use.
Priority Inbox – Messages classified as important and unread are in the top section, then starred messages, then everything else. Each section can be customized further. If you want more control over your inbox, Priority Inbox is for you.

89. Finding messages in migrated folders
Locate, click on, and expand your .pst file from Outlook.
Open folders to view saved s.

90. Renaming migrated folders
Click the drop down arrow next to your migrated .pst file
Choose Edit

91. Renaming migrated folders
Type a new label for your personal folders
Click Save

92. Searching for specific messages
Click inside the search bar at the top of the page.
Type whatever term or field you remember from the message (i.e. text from the subject or message body, the recipient, etc.)
Click the Search icon or press enter.

93. Searching for specific messages
Searching can also be refined by using operators or the advanced search option (the drop down arrow next to the search field.)
Search operators include from:, to:, OR, label:, has:attachment, after, before, or use quotes “ “ to locate messages containing an exact phrase, etc.
Dates in the search field require the following format: YYYY/MM/DD
(example: 2013/01/03)

94. Applying filters to incoming messages
Click the drop down menu beside the search field.
Complete any relevant information to your filter.
Click Create filter with this search.

95. Applying filters to incoming messages
Choose options for your filter using checkmarks
Choose Also apply filter to matching messages, if desired.
Click Create filter

96. Applying filters to incoming messages
If you choose to Skip the Inbox, new messages will only appear within the labels (folders) that you have applied.

97. Applying filters to incoming messages
Labels will appear bold if there are new messages there.
The number of new messages will appear in parentheses to the right of the label.

98. Applying filters to incoming messages
You may also create filters by choosing Settings.
Choose settings from the drop down menu.
Click the Filters tab.
Set filter options of your choosing.
Click Create a new filter

99. Editing or deleting custom filters
Choose Settings.
Choose settings from the drop down menu.
Click the Filters tab.
Click Edit or Delete to make changes to the filter
You may also choose the check mark field to select the filter and click on the Delete button.

100. Deleting unwanted mail
Select the message you want to delete or select multiple messages using the check mark field.
Click the Delete button.

101. Emptying the trash
Items in the trash will remain there for 30 days before being automatically deleted.
Items emptied from the trash can not be retrieved by you or anyone in the technology department.
To empty trash, Click the Trash link.
Select the messages you wish to delete.
Click Delete forever or Choose Empty Trash now.

102. Creating a Signature Click the Settings button.
Choose Settings from the drop down menu

103. Creating a Signature
Choose the General Tab and scroll down to Signature.
Toggle off the radio button for No Signature. Create your Signature.
Scroll to the bottom of the window. Click Save Changes. Only one signature can be created for your account.

104. Setting a vacation responder
Click the Settings button.
Choose Settings from the drop down menu

105. Setting a vacation responder
Choose the General tab. Scroll down to Vacation Responder
Toggle radio button to Vacation Responder On.
Set the start and end date.
Add your subject and message.

106. Setting a vacation responder
Choose who will receive the message while you are away.
Click Save Changes.
Vacation Responder will send an automated reply to incoming messages.

107. Setting a vacation responder
While the vacation responder is enabled, you will see a banner across the top of any Gmail page.
You can disable the vacation responder by clicking End Now within the banner or by going back to Setting and toggling Vacation Responder Off.

108. Display Density Click the Settings button.
Choose the preferred Display Density.

109. Changing Settings Click the Settings button.
Choose Settings from the drop down menu

110. Changing Settings From the General Tab, Set the Maximum page size.
Set the Default Reply Behavior to Reply only.
Set the Conversation View to Conversation View to Off.

111. Changing Settings Make changes to the Stars Settings if desired.
Set Desktop Notifications to ON for New Mail.
Change Create contacts for auto-complete if desired.

112. Changing Settings
Set Snippets preferences.
Choose Save Changes

113. Web Clip Settings Choose the Web Clips Tab
Remove the check beside “Show my web clips above the Inbox”

114. Labs Settings
From the Labs tab, enable any experimental features you want to try. These features are sometime withdraw from availability by Google.
Canned Responses – for messages or text that you need to send often.

115. Labs Settings
Default Text Styling allows you to change text style to better suit your preferences.
Google Calendar Gadget adds a box in the left column of your Gmail window to show your Calendar to see upcoming events, locations, and details.
Google Docs Gadget adds a box in the left column which displays your Google docs.

116. Labs Settings
Google Docs Preview in Mail shows preview of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly in the when you receive any link to a Google doc.

117. Labs Settiings
Inserting Images allows you to insert images into a message body.
Mark as Read enables a button to mark a message as read
Preview Pane provides a preview pane to read mail to the right of your message list.

118. Labs Settings
Undo Send stops messages from being sent for a few seconds after pressing the send button. After enabling this lab, the number of seconds can be edited from the General tab. The default setting is 10 seconds.
Unread message icon allows you to see how many unread messages are in your inbox with a quick glance at the tab’s icon.

119. Lab Settings
Click Save Changes when you are finished enabling labs.

120. Changing Inbox View
Click the drop down arrow to the right of the Toggle Split Pane Mode button.
Select No Split, Vertical Split, or Horizontal Split based on your preference.
If No Split is selected, you must click on each to view and read the message.

121. Changing Themes and Backgrounds
Click Settings.
Choose Themes

122. Changing Themes and Backgrounds
Select your desired theme.

123. Changing Themes and Backgrounds
Custom Themes allow you to choose a photograph as your theme or background.